Flooring 101: Everything You Need to Know

In order to protect your hardwood floor and ensure its longevity make sure you sweep, vacuum, or dust mop regularly to prevent sand or abrasive dust build up that can scratch the floor’s finish. Also, blot up spills immediately with a damp cloth. Try to periodically clean the floors using a leading brand of cleaner for pre-finished hardwood floors, but do not use ammonia or oil-based wax, polish, abrasive cleaners, or furniture cleaners.

In order to protect your hard surface area (tile, wood, laminate, vinyl), you might try the following things: Place high quality floor mats and area rugs near outside entrances to prevent dirt, sand and other unwanted substances from being tracked directly onto the flooring (make sure you use an area rug pad between the mat and floor); try to support heavy furniture and appliances with wide-bearing glides or casters; affix felt floor protectors on moveable furniture, including chairs, tables, and sofas, that sit directly on hard surface flooring.

Once the tile has been cleaned and dried (shortly after installation), grout joints should be treated with a silicone sealer. Grout, is porous and sealing it will simplify future maintenance. We recommend you apply a sealer at least twice a year for maximum stain protection.

Vacuum using the wand attachment, use a dust mop or wipe with a damp cloth. For spills, just wipe up with a cloth or sponge. In very sandy areas or at the beach, sweep or vacuum regularly. Do not use soap based detergents or “mop and shine” products, as these may leave a dull film on your floor. Do not use abrasive cleaners, steel wool, or scouring powder, which can scratch your floor. Do not wax or polish your floor. When necessary, use a well squeezed damp mop with the manufacturer’s floor cleaner. Laminate floor, like other types of smooth floors, can become slippery when wet. Allow time for floor to dry after washing. Immediately wipe up wet areas from spills, foreign substances or wet feet.

Wipe tiles periodically with a cloth or sponge dampened with a non-oil-based household cleaner. Vacuum tiles regularly to remove dirt and other gritty particles, then damp mop or sponge with an all-purpose, non-oil-based cleaner. Do not use ammonia, it will discolor grout. Do not use cleansers containing acid or bleach for routine maintenance. Do not use wax cleaners, oil-based detergents or sealants to maintain your tile. Do not use harsh cleaning aids like steel wool pads or any scouring pads containing metal. Do not use a cleaning agent that contains color (unglazed tile only). Do test scouring powders on a small area first. Do use a sealer on grout joints. Do have a damaged or broken tile removed and replaced by a qualified tile contractor.

There are three key things to do to maintain your carpet warranty

1. Vacuum frequently
2. Clean spills promptly
3. Have periodic professional carpet cleanings

The most important thing you can do to keep your carpet looking great is to vacuum it thoroughly and frequently, particularly in high traffic areas. Vacuuming helps remove dirt particles which dull and mat the carpet’s appearance. Also, use walk-off mats at entrances to minimize dirt particles being tracked onto the carpet and to reduce soil accumulation.

Regular carpet cleaning and maintenance are needed to keep your carpet looking great year after year. During everyday use, soil clings to carpet fibers and dulls carpet beauty and causes matting and packing. These particles accumulate and dull the carpet’s original color.

The majority of stain complaints are actually soil related. For example, many sugar-based spills, such as soft drinks and coffee, leave a sugar residue after removal. This sticky residue readily attracts soil from ordinary shoe traffic, and the resulting discolored area appears to be a stain.

The same thing happens when spills are cleaned with a detergent solution and the area is not sufficiently rinsed with plain water, leaving a sticky detergent residue. It is important to rinse thoroughly with water and blot dry after removing any spill.

Better Floors, Inc carries multiple brands of cleaner that require no rinsing! Simply scrape any solids up from the floor, spray, blot, wick and repeat as necessary. It doesn’t leave any messy residue so it doesn’t attract soil later.

Your carpet should be vacuumed regularly but should not be done so that cleaning is excessive. We also recommend professional cleaning once every 18 months.

Most professionals use hot water extraction, which is more commonly known as steam cleaning. Other cleaning methods include absorbent pad or bonnet cleaning, rotary shampoo, and dry foam powder. Wet or dry methods, properly done, are acceptable for regular maintenance cleanings. However, hot water extraction is required for most warranty services.

Please contact either the manufacturer or Better Floors, Inc. for proper direction on how to treat a particular stain or problem.